Savior
by GuardofLiberty
Summary: Helga is reeling at the news that Olga has completed her degree early and is moving home, and at a precarious time. Olga having a new man in her life only promises to complicate matters even further. But the whims of fortune are chaotic and sometimes even smile through harshness.
1. The Worst News

**I've stumbled upon some of these old Hey Arnold! episodes and an idea just came to my head. I'd forgotten just how good of a show this was in general, and the story around the Pataki family in particular. I know I have other stuff on here, and some of which I haven't updated in a while but still intend to finish, but when your creative juices get flowing it's hard to resist, even when working on more serious projects.**

**Anyway, tell me what you all think.**

**This story takes place a year later, so all the kids are in 5th grade now.**

* * *

"That's it Phoebe, take five minutes and get your head back in your script!" Helga yelled, annoyed that her best friend, for all her smarts, simply malfunctioned at times when she came under pressure.

"Taking!" Phoebe nervously squeaked out to disarm her sometimes intimidating friend.

Helga growled. "From the top people! From the top!"

"I don't know Arnold, why exactly are we doing this for Helga Pataki again?" Gerald Johanssen asked his best friend.

"C'mon Gerald...it's not that bad." Arnold answered with his distinctive tone of voice, always trying to do the right thing. "This play means so much to Helga, and at least we aren't fruits this time." He grinned, remembering last year's play.

"Arnold, remember, this is the girl that teases and torments you on a daily basis." Gerald answered skeptically.

"She's not that bad." Arnold answered. "It can be annoying but I don't think she means anything by it."

Gerald sighed, remembering that it was useless to argue with Arnold over these kinds of things. "Whatever you say, man."

Helga was the playwright and director of another theater production at P.S. 118. In honor of the upcoming Presidents' Day, this time her play was one about the various Presidents.

Helga paced back and forth on the stage. Everything needed to be perfect. She was quite pleased with the costumes that Sheena managed to make, and her teachers and even Principal Wartz had been very encouraging. Helga watched over her actors like a hawk, nodding in approval at the exchange between Rhonda, who played the part of Harry Truman, and Nadine, who for this occasion was Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

"Now that, people, is how you act!" Helga lectured. Rhonda characteristically soaked up the praise and posed in its limelight.

"C'mon Helga it's been over two hours already!" Harold Berman characteristically complained.

Helga growled and seized him by the collar, threatening with her fist.

"All you need to do is be a buffoon! I don't think this part should be so difficult for you!" She growled again, referring to Harold's role as President James Buchanan.

"Helga...I do think it might be time for us to leave. We do need to eat dinner to feel refreshed for tomorrow, after all." Phoebe said, characteristically delicate.

Helga released Harold.

"Fine. All of you go home. I want to see you all tomorrow after school at the same time to practice and for you to get your costumes." She ordered.

With mutterings and musings, the 5th graders of P.S. 118 began to disperse.

* * *

"I'm telling you Phoebe, our vacation is gonna be a blast." She said rather nonchalantly.

"Yes, it should be exciting." Phoebe agreed. "But the play's the thing right now. The vacation will be your just reward for a play well-done." Phoebe stated with a small smile.

Helga smiled back at the shorter girl as the two arrived at Helga's building.

"So Helga, do you think I can eat dinner here with you?" Phoebe asked.

Helga was about to reply in the affirmative when a loud, piercing voice filled the air around them which seemed like it could shatter glass.

**"OH FOR CRYIN' OUT LOUD MIRIAM! WHY DO YOU ALWAYS BURN WHATEVER IT IS YOU COOK!"**

Helga looked at Phoebe with an expression that was ho-hum and did not betray any surprise or even discomfort.

"Better make it another time, Pheobs."

"Making!" Phoebe smiled before exchanging her goodbyes and tip-toeing quietly away, as if not to draw the voice's attention towards her.

Helga stepped inside, putting her backpack in the closet and her coat on a rack.

"Bob, Miriam, I'm home!" She said in a mock niceness, not expecting a response from either.

Helga stepped toward the kitchen to eat whatever it was that Miriam made, and then get to her room as quickly as possible.

* * *

"So, uh...Helga..." Miriam slurred, taking another sip of her usual smoothie. "How's that...play...that you're working on...?"

"Just peachy Miriam." She gritted, unnoticed by her mother.

"So, uh, Olga, when's the thing again?" Big Bob Pataki asked without looking up from his food.

"Next week." Helga again gritted. She did not even care that her father again used the wrong name.

"Oh good I thought it was gonna be tomorrow!" Big Bob sighed in relief. "I've got a clearance sale, then we get a whole new shipment of the latest and greatest beepers!"

Helga grumbled in mockery.

"You say somethin' little lady?" Her father asked.

"No." Helga said innocently.

* * *

Helga had just finished brushing her teeth and was preparing to go to bed. She closed her door and leaned against the wall, looking both ways and listening to make sure that all was quiet. Satisfied that the conditions were right, Helga hurried into her closet and shut the door behind her. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw it- a statue with a football shaped head. Her idol to Arnold.

"Oh Arnold!" She bowed before it, kissing the floor at the statue's feet. "As the play draws closer and closer, please give me the strength I need!"

Suddenly a loud voice interrupted her, but uncharacteristically in her house, it was one of joy.

"OH OLGA THAT'S TERRIFIC! I'M SO EXCITED!"

Helga felt like she had just been punched in the stomach, her eyes wide as saucers. She put her ear to her wall. Any mention of her sister's name set off a siren in her soul.

"You managed to complete your degree a semester early?! Oh I'm so proud of you honey!" Miriam's muffled voice made its way through the walls to Helga's ears. "Oh you're kidding! You're coming back home?!" She could barely contain her excitement.

Helga felt like she was dropped off a cliff.

"Oh of course we'll get you a ticket for your sister's play, dear!" Miriam continued to gush. "I'm sure it'll mean so much to her that you're there for it!"

Now Helga felt like she was bitten by a shark after being dropped off the cliff.

"Sure thing honey, we'll come pick you up at the airport the day after tomorrow." Miriam planned. "OK I'll see you then, bye." She hung up the phone.

"B, I'VE GOT SOME GREAT NEWS!" Miriam gushed as she rushed down the hallway.

Helga only looked at the statue of Arnold with a scowl on her face, which softened as its image entered her mind.

"Arnold, fate has decreed that I must now, and so unexpectedly, face the nightmare that I dreaded the most. Why, oh why, did the worst news in the world need to reach my ears, and when I was with you? Now, my dear, sweet, love, I must call upon your strength and bring it into my heart! Give it to me so that I may face the onslaught of Olga with bravery and success!" She began to kiss the idol's lips when Miriam knocked on her room's door.

"Helga! Helga!"

Helga moved out of the closet and gave a meek "Yes mother?"

"Did you remember to take...your constipation medicine?"

"Yes, Miriam." She answered daintily.

"Alright...dear, I've got some good news to tell you tomorrow."

Miriam walked away and Helga slumped onto her bed, burying her face in her pillow, and then banging into it over and over again. Finally, she managed to fall asleep.


	2. But I Don't Want to See My Sister!

"CRIMINY PEOPLE, CAN'T YOU GET ANYTHING RIGHT?!" Helga yelled angrily as Stinky, Sid, and Harold, the usual three troublemakers, once again messed up their scene.

She stamped her foot on the ground in an angry, hurrying fashion. While Helga was never Miss Sunshine and always a grueling taskmaster when she was put in charge of something, her classmates noticed that she was more irritable and demanding than usual. She turned around to see a certain beautiful football-headed creature standing comfortingly near her. She broke into a reverie, but quickly realized what she was doing and narrowed her unibrow.

"What are you looking at football head?!" She sneered.

"Helga, it's been hours, and you're being extremely rude today." Arnold lectured.

"Yeah, so what football head? We're on crunch time now and...and...I don't know just get out of my face alright?!" She seethed.

Arnold narrowed his eyes. "Helga, this wouldn't happen to be related to your sister coming home would it?" He asked skeptically.

Helga darted her eyes around the room. "I...I...it isn't!" She objected.

"Helga, you can't avoid going home tonight. We can't stay here forever."

Helga looked around, glaring at everyone. They were getting restless. It had grown dark outside a while ago. All looked at her with longing faces.

"Helga...I know you want your play to go well but don't use _us_ as an excuse to avoid your sister!" Gerald said somewhat angrily.

Helga looked around again. People were leaning in, anticipating her response.

"Oh alright! Go home and be back here tomorrow! Full dress rehearsal!" She ordered.

Helga grumbled when Arnold's voice interrupted her.

"Helga, why don't you just give your sister a chance this time?" Arnold asked skeptically as the two left P.S. 118's auditorium and got on the bus. "You're always hostile to her every time she comes home."

"Because it's the same thing every time, Arnoldo." Helga answered with a frown. "Nothing ever changes. Olga comes to town, sucks up all the attention, and _never_ listens to me. And now she gets to come to my play to make me even more miserable." Helga grumbled.

"Helga, don't you think you should at least try to have a serious talk with her? Shouldn't you take it as a compliment that she thought enough about you to keep track of your play over what must have been her hectic last weeks at college and now she wants to come and see it on its debut?"

"You just don't get it, Arnoldo. And you Never. Will. Got it?" Helga grumbled with a frown.

Arnold nodded, slow and wide-eyed as the bus reached Helga's stop. She frowned at him again and got off.

"Arnold. What a do-gooder. What a crusader. What a naive annoying little twerp. How I hate him."

Helga looked around both sides of the street and ducked into an alley.

"And yet...I love him!" Helga swooned as she pulled out her locket with his picture. "Oh Arnold, always trying to do what's right, always bringing light to my tormented soul with your kind-hearted naivety. Oh how I love the sincerity in your heart!" Helga half-expected Brainy to be breathing down her neck at her monologue's conclusion, but she realized it was late and even he had to be home.

Helga walked the last block to her house and heard it grow louder.

The music coming from a piano.

The notes assaulted her ears, becoming louder and louder with each step. Helga didn't want to move forward any further, but it seemed that the hypnotic sounds of the piano in the Pataki household pulled her feet forward like a tractor beam. She groaned.

Helga walked up the porch and sighed deeply as she opened the door.

"BABY SISTER IS THAT YOU?!" A loud and bubbly voice greeted.


	3. I Need Another Ticket

"BABY SISTER IS THAT YOU?!"

Olga's voice might as well have been a heavy bombardment to Helga's ears, the shrilling screams of incoming artillery. She'd appeared in the hallway.

"Yep Olga, it sure is." Helga bitingly remarked back with a faux excitement that would be obvious to anyone a mile away, except if your name was Olga Pataki.

"Oh Helga, you're such a little silly! Now come over here and give your big sis a big smooch!"

Helga walked forward like a zombie into Olga's embrace, not putting up any kind of fight or showing emotion as Olga kissed her on the forehead.

"What's going on?" Robert "Big Bob" Pataki said with a blank face as he marched out into the hallway, accompanied by Miriam holding a glass with both hands. "Oh good, the girl's home." He muttered. "Now we can eat! What have you made this time, Olga?"

"Well I've made a full-course Mediterranean dinner and a chocolate souffle for desert!" Olga replied in her usual upbeat tone.

"Sounds great Olga!" Bob laughed.

* * *

"And so I was given a standing ovation at my final concerto on campus with roses at my feet before taking a bow and waving to my adoring fans." Olga smiled with a dramatic tone of voice.

"Going out like a winner! Just as you should!" Big Bob clapped.

"After that I was named Bennington Humanitarian of the Year for my extended work with the local orphanages by giving the little orphans lavish entertainment and finely-cooked meals." Olga continued.

"And of course you got all A's again!" Miriam slurred. "Oh Olga, I'm so proud of you dear! It's so good to have you home! "

"It sure is!" Bob lauded. "Especially with the delicious food you've just made. I can get used to this!"

Helga grumbled something into her food.

"So baby sister, how's your play coming along? I really can't wait to see it!" She gushed, causing Helga to grow tense.

"Just fine, _Olga_."

Neither Olga nor anyone else noticed the derision in Helga's voice.

"Oh I'm sure it'll be fantastic!" Olga looked up at the ceiling with a dramatic expression. "I remember the first time I was called in to provide the music for a school play. Oh it was so wonderful, it lit up the whole auditorium and made the drama so much more powerful!"

Bob and Miriam laughed as Olga continued her story while Helga just grumbled and put more food in her mouth. She hated to admit it, but her sister's cooking was good- much better than anything Miriam made.

"It's just too bad you can't be involved in the girl's play!" Bob said to Olga. "I'm sure it'd be ten times, no, a hundred times better!"

Helga, after a blank moment in thought, clenched her fist and gritted her teeth, thinking to ask to be excused, but Olga broke her out of her angry thoughts.

"Oh that reminds me, I need another ticket to Helga's play!" Her voice was getting more and more excited.

"What for honey?" Miriam asked.

"Because I met a wonderful man during my last year of college and he's coming into town! Oh I'm just so excited! I can't wait for you all to meet him at last!"

Helga swallowed hard. Her sister's voice became muffled. Great, just great, she thought with bitterness. Now in addition to Olga she'd have to deal with her newly-announced boyfriend. Remembering the episode with Doug LeSham, Helga knew that her sister's choice in men was not always good, and she dreaded the thought of having to rescue Olga once again just as she needed to spend the most time on her play. If not that...

"Who is this guy? What does he do?"

"Oh daddy...!" Olga gushed dreamily. "He's handsome and charming and he has his own business! He's so cool!"

"Well Olga honey..." Miriam slurred. "You're not...planning to get married are you...like you were with that other guy...?"

Olga laughed. "Oh no, that whole affair was silly of me and I recognize that now. Our relationship is evolving naturally. Now it's time for him to meet you all. I'm just so happy!" Tears of joy began to well up in her eyes, while Helga rolled her own. "And what better way than for an introduction than my baby sister's play?" Olga asked joyfully and hugged Helga.

Helga moped.

"Well I'm sure it'll all be exciting!" Miriam said slowly.

"Yeah, so when's he supposed to get here?" Bob asked.

"On the day of Helga's play!" Olga answered cheerfully. "Now he gets to see you all and my baby sister on the stage! Isn't it fantastic?!"

Helga banged her head into the table and didn't care to say another word. Nobody noticed.


	4. Session

"And just when it seems that I'm really getting appreciated and my play is starting to take off on its own, Olga has to come home. And no, she couldn't come home normally, she needed to get such good grades that her degree was completed a semester early." Helga growled. "Oh B, isn't Olga so brilliant?" She imitated her mothers slurred voice. "Oh yeah Miriam, she's a stinkin' genius! She's a Pataki, and Patakis are winners!" She deepened her voice to imitate her father, making an overly dramatic fist pump to add to the mockery. "Just...of all times why, why does it need to be now?" Helga moaned as she slumped back in her seat.

A woman was writing something down on a clipboard.

"Well Helga." She began after her patient finished. "From what you've told me your teachers and the other students all seem to like your play. You even told me Arnold liked it."

Helga broke out of her reactionary dream gaze whenever she heard his name and began to respond.

"Yeah, that's true, and...don't get me wrong I do appreciate it, but why of all times does Olga have to come back now? It's not like I don't have enough to deal with! Now I have to worry about her? Now she's going to my play and she'll be the center of attention as usual, while I who worked like a dog on that play will fade into non-existence. Oh, and to make matters even worse, Olga's bringing her boyfriend too, so all will be wondering who this mystery man is, and the plot I worked on will collapse like a house of cards!" Helga growled.

"Helga, from what you've told me about your sister, Olga does give you more attention than your parents do and genuinely does seem to care about you, even if it might not seem that way to you. I think it would be best if you just sat your sister down and made her listen to your concerns openly and honestly. Remember that she went to Alaska for you."

Helga remembered that episode last year. Olga actually listened to her. But then again, she also remembered the "Big Sis, Little Sis" program with Lila when Olga seemed to listen to her, only to make her row their boat afterwards.

"She also made me row her stinkin' boat!" Helga growled, relaying those feelings.

Dr. Bliss broke out a small smile at her patient.

"I know it's difficult Helga. But if the situation is as you present it, and you're as concerned about it as you are, you really have no choice but to try and talk to Olga. You need to tell her that it's your time in the spotlight, and how hard you worked for it. Tell her that you will really be hurt if she tries to upstage you. If she truly cares about, she _will_ listen."

"That's what Arnold said to me once." Helga said shyly, looking down as she twiddled her thumbs.

"He's a smart kid." Dr. Bliss smiled.

"Yeah..." Helga continued shyly.

An air of silence descended on the room. This incidence was not uncommon in their meetings.

"What about Olga's boyfriend?" Helga finally asked.

"What about him?" Dr. Bliss quizzed.

"Like I said, mom and dad are going to be wondering who the mystery man is. It might even be that they're going there tomorrow night to meet _him_ rather than see me. Not that I didn't expect that once I found out, or anything. But it still..."

"I understand, Helga. But your classmates certainly notice all the work you've put in, and your sister did come back specifically requesting to see you on stage. If you talk with your sister, she can probably tone down his entrance."

Helga stared out the window for a while.

"You know...I did hear Olga talking to him on the phone last night. She seemed so happy...and she told him about me and that she was excited for him to meet me."

Dr. Bliss smiled.

"See Helga? Maybe things will be better if you try to give them a chance. I know this is a big adjustment for you to make right now, but the alternative is to be hostile and unhappy, and I don't think either of us want that."

The session ended and Helga breathed a sigh as she walked out of the office. She would have some things to discuss with Olga before the big night.


	5. Spotlight Mine, Spotlight Yours

"Oh baby sister, isn't it so wonderful?" Olga asked dreamily as she met her sister in the upstairs hallway. Both were moving downstairs to the kitchen, where Olga had offered to cook a breakfast for Helga. "Tonight's the night of your play. I really can't wait to see it! And with Louis coming tonight! Oh..." Olga trailed, clasping her hands together. "It'll be positively...fantastic!"

Helga growled as she took a seat at the kitchen table.

"Helga, what do you want for breakfast?" Olga asked sweetly as she poured through the refrigerator. "I want to make my baby sister a special meal for her big day!"

Helga was taken aback by this display of generosity.

"Thanks Olga..." She said shyly. "Umm...an omelet and pancakes might be nice..."

"Coming right up baby sister!" Olga answered excitedly with her eyes closed in a smile.

Helga's thoughts began to swirl as her ears were flooded with the sounds of food cooking in a skillet. Miriam and certainly not Bob would never do this sort of thing for her. Perhaps she should try doing what Dr. Bliss recommended for her to do when she told her therapist that Olga was coming back. Perhaps she should try to be more tolerant and not dismiss Olga's advances _a priori_. Perhaps she should try and get around her bubbly exterior and attempt a deeper connection.

"Uh, Olga...about tonight..." Helga began nervously.

"What is it baby sister?" Olga asked as she continued her cooking.

"I...just...do you think you can tone it down a bit...?" Helga asked, completely unsure of how to ask her sister what she wanted to.

"Whatever do you want me to tone down baby sister?" Olga asked as she brought back plates of hot food.

"Well...it's just that when you're around everyone focuses on you and well it's just...it's my play you know?"

"Don't worry pumpkin." Olga said soothingly. "I assure you that I am simply going to admire the work you've put into your production. I will do nothing out of the ordinary. For me, it'll just be another date with Louis."

"I'm serious Olga." Helga said sternly. "I worked very hard on this. It needs to be my night OK?"

"Of course it will baby sister! I know just how important this is to you. I couldn't imagine trying to do anything that would make you upset."

Olga got up to hug Helga. Helga was not so sure.

"Now, I'll drive you to school this morning if you wish. I'll probably be there tonight a bit late, after mom and dad. Louis' flight doesn't arrive until 6:30, and I'm going to pick him up."

Helga reluctantly decided to accept her sister's invitation.

* * *

"Wow Helga. You let your sister drive you to school? Maybe you're starting to get along with her after all." Arnold smiled.

Helga's eyes brightened with their usual split-second swoon at a sight of Arnold, but her defense grid immediately perked up as she put on her scowl.

"What business is it of yours, football head?" She gritted.

"I don't know, it just seemed nice..." Arnold raised his hands in a way to show that he was not trying to be hostile. "Anyway, I have my costume here, so I guess we'll all meet up for one last rehearsal before the play starts, right?"

"Yes. Be there." Helga ordered as Arnold walked away defensively.

"Arnold. What a nosy punk. How I despise him."

She darted her eyes to and fro, then ducked into an alleyway.

"And yet...I adore him. Those eyes, so full of concern and sensitivity. The dedication you've shown to me...even though I've been nothing but a pestilence to you...at best, is oh, so intoxicating! Oh Arnold, how I wish you and I could run away together and forge a world of our own, free of all the madness we see in our lives!"

Helga looked around again and ducked into P.S. 118.

* * *

"OK people." Helga addressed her cast backstage. "Remember that we are tasked with giving this play life. And you've all shown that you're capable of doing that. We've got to go the extra mile and take the road less traveled, and we will all put on a show to remember!"

Helga's peers were not quite as enthusiastic, but went along with it. They did, after all, want to put on a good performance for their parents.

Helga left the backstage area to go into the auditorium and greet guests as well as the school staff. Principal Wartz was the first person to meet her.

"Miss Pataki." He acknowledged.

"Principal Wartz." She stated in much the same manner.

"Let me just say that I applaud you for putting together such a production that is at once both educational and entertaining to a wide audience. You do your school a service, young lady."

Helga smiled lightly.

"Helga?"

She turned at the sound of the familiar voice to see that Miss Slovak was talking to her.

"Miss Slovak?"

"Oh hi dear!" Her old teacher greeted. "I was just coming through and you really seemed to have done a wonderful job on this!"

"Thanks." Helga said in return.

"Helga, there you are!"

She turned to see Mr. Simmons approaching with the usual goofy smile on his face.

"Hey Mr. Simmons." Helga greeted in a rather blunt and typical tone with her teacher of last year.

"Helga, I just want to say that you've done an admirable job in putting this into production and it's very...special."

Helga was tempted to roll her eyes, but inside, she appreciated the compliment. She peered to see that her parents had arrived, her mother giving her a light wave with a smile while making small talk with Phoebe's mother Reba. Bob simply looked in her direction. He tapped his foot, like he was waiting for something.

"Oh hi there girls!" Mr. Simmons greeted as Phoebe, Rhonda, Nadine, and Sheena joined Helga.

"Hello Mr. Simmons!" Phoebe returned the greeting. "Miss Slovak!" Phoebe greeted, followed by the rest.

"It's lovely to see you all again." Their old teacher said as she exchanged some pleasantries.

"Everything's about ready Helga." Phoebe then whispered as she waved to her parents.

"Hey, look!" Rhonda whispered and pointed.

Big Bob's sudden snap to attention confirmed it in Helga's eyes. Olga had arrived.

"OLGA!" Miss Slovak greeted excitedly and rushed over.

The congregation around Helga quickly dispersed. Even Mr. Simmons had left to see his once-student teacher.

Bob and Miriam shifted their attention entirely to Olga. Olga greeted everyone warmly and began to entertain.

"Your sister has always been such a great dresser!" Rhonda gushed, observing the stylish purple winter dress she was wearing with a matching hat, and black stockings and boots. "Helga, remind me to get some fashion tips from her after the play!"

"Sure..." Helga began to growl.

"Isn't she the most gorgeous thing you've ever seen?" Rhonda continued. "I _must_ know how she does it."

As Helga grumbled, Olga looked toward the door and smiled very brightly. Helga's eyebrow raised at how happy she looked. It went far beyond her normal bubbly smile.

"Wow..." Sheena involuntarily gasped.

"Isn't he the biggest _hunk_ you've ever seen?!" Rhonda asked excitedly.

Helga began to tense up as she watched a man move forward. He was tall and _very_ handsome, with dark hair and light skin. He wore a custom-made suit to match. He looked like he didn't belong here- he instead seemed like he should be seated on a throne with a crown on his head. She noticed that even the normally-reserved Phoebe had to fight to stifle a blush.

"Who is that guy...?" Rhonda asked dreamily.

Helga only grew more tense. All eyes in the room fixated on him as he strode forward powerfully. Helga saw the man move forward, a slight, masculine, powerful smile etched on his face. He enfolded Olga in an embrace, giving her a light kiss. Miriam gushed over him instantly. She seemed elated along with Olga, while Bob exchanged a few pleasant words with him. He obviously seemed pleased. It looked to be a real party over there, which riveted the attention of everyone in the building. Then Helga and Olga's eyes met.

"HI BABY SISTER!" She shouted gleefully with a wave.

Helga grimaced and waved back with a scowl that Olga did not notice.

"C'mon Phoebe." She ordered with a growl.

"Coming!" Phoebe chimed.

Rhonda, Sheena, and Nadine merely lingered there for a while.


	6. Some Guy?

Helga growled. She couldn't stand the sight of them. Olga was doting all over him. She watched from behind the curtains. Olga was whispering something into his ear, laughing all the way. Her boyfriend- Louis was his name, Helga remembered, glanced at her with an amused glint and gave a curt smile. Olga responded with her annoying overly-feminine blinks. Criminy she hated that! Helga didn't want to go out on stage. But she had to, it was her play and she still wanted to put on an excellent performance.

And she was George Washington after all.

She moved onto the stage. Bob and Miriam hardly noticed, and only shifted their gaze after Olga responded by waving at her in such an annoying fashion as to make Helga want to throttle her. Her boyfriend, Louis, slowly turned his head to watch Helga. His gaze was far more powerful. While Olga's was annoying, Louis' was actually intimidating, not in a hostile way, but in a way that demanded excellence. But this only motivated Helga.

"The purpose for which we fought, and the purpose for which the Office of the President was created, was to uphold the republican form of government of which the Constitution of these United States was written. Though the delegates to the Convention designed the office with me in mind, each one of us has put his own personal stamp onto it. This is that story."

Helga noticed her entourage. Bob and Miriam seemed absent-minded as usual. While Olga only gushed and looked at Helga with an expression that seemed to speak '_aren't you the cutest thing?_', Louis raised an eyebrow, the glint in his eye still present. He looked content. Olga began to whisper in his ear again, and Miriam smiled widely at the couple. Everyone seemed to stare at them when they could- as if they were in a royal box. Louis again turned his attention to Helga, and she growled inside.

* * *

Helga used the emotional energy she felt at being upstaged to make sure that she and her performers delivered a quality show. She demanded perfection, and through the use of her talents, she seemed to get it. By the time it was over, the audience gave her a standing ovation. Helga sighed in relief and elation.

Bob and Miriam however, still doted on Olga, and seemed to be more interested in talking to her and Louis than they were in making their appreciation known. Miriam waved slightly to Helga but quickly shifted her attention. Bob might as well not have noticed except for a glance. Helga gritted but took it and got back up. She moved slowly into the area where a reception was being hosted.

Helga experienced a mix of emotions. She was happy that despite the personal setback, the play turned out as she'd hoped. She received a standing ovation. But the people she was supposed to be closest to, again, didn't care. It made her angry. She scowled. She bumped into someone as she emerged from the bathroom- anything to avoid being at that reception. True, she wanted to talk to her friends and to other people, but she didn't want to see Olga or the rest of her family.

"Uh...Helga?"

"Arnold?!" Helga asked dreamily as she finally realized who she'd bump into. "Uh...I mean, what do you want _football head_?!" She sneered.

"Are you avoiding going to the reception because you don't want to be with your sister?" He frowned somewhat.

"Well _doi_!" Helga angrily answered. "In case you haven't noticed, Arnoldo, whenever _Olga's_ around it's a total nightmare! I even told her this morning to let this be my night and she _still_ sucks up all the attention! Oh and that boyfriend of hers, the last thing I want to do is meet _him_."

"Why Helga? You don't even know him." Arnold stated somewhat coldly. "I talked with him for a bit and he seems like a really cool guy."

"Oh I'm sure. I'm sure he's perfect just like _Olga_ is." She sneered.

"C'mon Helga. Don't judge people when you don't even know them. I'll go in there with you. And for what it's worth, I thought the play turned out really great."

Helga's eyebrow raised and her eyes became wide. "Ohhhh..." She swooned.

Arnold looked at her oddly and she smacked her scowl back on her face.

"Alright, alright I'm coming! Sheesh _football head_!"

As Helga walked closer and closer, she began to reflect. Maybe Arnold was right. Maybe she should talk things out. Maybe she should give the guy a chance. If Arnold thought he was cool, there had to be something to him, right? The fact that he was satisfied with the play and felt good about it was more than enough to give her strength.

* * *

Helga and Arnold emerged into the teacher's lounge, where the reception was being held. As soon as she entered she was accosted by a certain high-pitched, feminine voice.

"Hello baby sister!"

"Ohhh..." Helga sighed, and then scowled at who she saw Olga talking to. "Lila!" Helga seethed.

Arnold went into a swoon when he saw her, which got Helga even more angry. Reluctantly, Helga walked over.

"Oh Hello Helga..." Miriam said absent-mindedly. "Hey, you did a good job out there, right B?" She asked to her husband.

"Oh, yeah, sure." Bob said. "So Olga, you were telling Lila about that project you did with..."

Helga seethed. Bob remembered _Lila's_ name. She spotted Phoebe in a corner talking to Gerald and giggling. She didn't want to interrupt them. She moped.

"Oh baby sister, what's the matter?" Olga said with a concerned look as she came over.

Helga looked up at Olga with a surprised expression.

"Nothing, everything's fine." She put on a false smile.

"Oh great!" Olga grinned. "I want you to know that you did a really fantastic job out there!"

Helga looked up at her with her arms crossed. She saw that Bob and Miriam were talking to Lila.

"Thanks." Helga said with no emotion. Olga didn't seem to notice.

"Now Helga, I want to introduce you to someone that's really special to me. C'mon!"

"Oh..." Helga groaned as Olga took her hand and they began to walk.

There he was, at the far end of the room. He was the center of attention, just as Olga was in her corner of the room. Helga could see that he was engaged in what looked to be an intense conversation with Rhonda's father, Buckley Lloyd. Helga could see that Rhonda was by her dad's side, staring up at him, gawking.

"I just don't see how it's going to make money in the long run." Helga heard him say. "I don't really understand why you'd want to buy that stock." Helga sighed inwardly. His voice was as powerful as his appearance.

"You have to think of it in the short versus the long term." Buckley advised in his haughty voice. "Here's what you do. Short a hundred shares of the stock and convert your holdings into British Pounds. Then buy the stock at the lower price after the Pound rises against the Dollar."

"Sounds legit." He smirked.

"It is. I've done that with a lot of different stocks when I saw that British Pounds looked good against the Dollar, then I started to go long on-"

"Oh, Louis, there you are!" Olga cut Buckley off. "I wanted to introduce you to my baby-"

"Olga, I'm talking." Louis lectured with a light smirk, not turning to look back at her.

"But Louis I wanted you to-"

"It's rude to interrupt people, Olga."

Hmph. Helga thought. That's certainly a lesson that Olga never seemed to learn.

"I can meet her later, Olga. She isn't going anywhere."

Helga frowned as he began to speak again with Buckley in earnest, talking in a language that might as well have been tongues to her. Olga was still annoyingly holding her hand. The stupid grin was not wiped off her face.

"Some guy." Helga spat. And then she sighed as she found that Olga was leading her back to Miriam, Bob, and _Lila_, who Arnold was desperately trying to make conversation with.

"HI OLGA!" Miss Slovak waved. Olga waved back. Helga only put a palm in her face.

* * *

"That's great, so I guess we'll see you tomorrow then." Bob said to Louis, who held an arm around Olga's waist.

"It was great to meet you!" Miriam gushed and shook his hand. She exchanged a girlish look with Olga and both giggled.

"Alright then where's the girl?" Bob asked, and noticed Helga standing a ways behind. "Oh there she is. C'mon little lady, it's time to go home!"

"Actually daddy, I was gonna ask Helga if she wanted to go with me and Louis." Olga interrupted. "Helga! Louis and I were going to go to Chez Paris!" She stated.

Helga looked up with a growl.

"You're welcome to come along if you like." Louis stated with a smile.

"Gee guys, that sounds great but...but..." Helga grinned sheepishly and noticed Phoebe leaving with her family. "I was...actually going to go do something with Phoebe!" She backed into her friend, who gave her a curious look. "Phoebe, I can come out with you tonight, right?" She asked with a hint of desperation.

"Uh, sure Helga...if that's what you want..." She looked up at her parents with a quizzed expression, but they quickly gave their consent.

Louis and Olga looked at each other with a quizzical expression. He shrugged.

"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow baby sister!" Olga shouted with a happy squeal.

Bob and Miriam got in their car and drove off. Louis and Olga happily walked away, toward their soiree.

Well, Helga thought as she got into Phoebe's car, hearing the compliments of Kyo and Reba, at least there were some people she could have a decent time with.


	7. Instigation

"I'm tellin' ya Phoebs, it's the worst."

"But Helga, everything went very well last night." Phoebe weakly objected.

"Yeah, unless you need to share the spotlight with _Olga_ and her new man. Like I'd want to do that."

"Helga, if I may say, you seem unnecessarily hostile." Phoebe chimed, continuing despite Helga's glare. "I talked with Mr. Burbon for a bit and he seems like a fairly well-adjusted individual."

"Oh c'mon Phoebe. You're only saying that because of the Halo Effect- you find him attractive and that's why you think that way."

"No!" Phoebe objected. "Well...yes..." She admitted with a blush. "I do think he's attractive, but that doesn't take away from what I said, Helga."

"Yeah, like anyone who's dated _Olga_ for a year is well-adjusted. Puh-lease."

"I don't know why you seem so hostile Helga." Phoebe said again, ducking her head at Helga's glare. "The play went well, what are you so worried about?"

"Dealing with Olga, Pheobs, dealing with Olga. I got out of dinner last night but I won't tonight." She sighed.

"Well, I wish you luck Helga."

The two friends went their separate ways. Helga arrived at home. She heard something unusual.

"Louis, I'm serious! Put it down!" Olga demanded in a desperate voice, but Helga could tell she was smiling.

"It's true after all." He said playfully. "You looked like such a dork. Guess that explains why you still are."

"Louis give it to me!"

"No." He said behind a grin. "Wow, you looked like such a nerd."

Helga couldn't help but delay putting her coat away.

"And you were kind of frumpy-looking too." Louis' voice continued. "I've got a new nickname for you. I'm gonna start calling you unibrow now."

Helga widened her eyes and suddenly touched her eyebrow. She growled lowly.

"Oh like you're one to talk!" Olga responded. "Louis I'm serious! I hate that picture! I wish Daddy wouldn't keep that thing! It's embarrassing! Please put it down!"

Helga's eyes widened as she put her coat in the closet. Olga..._embarrassed_?

"Make me, unibrow."

"Louis please put it down! Can we just get back to the movie?!" She pleaded.

"But I thought you didn't like this movie so much. You only watch it with me because _I_ like it. That is what you said, is it not?" He questioned with an audible smirk.

"Please...?"

"Alright, alright." Louis relented. "You know I can't resist those beautiful blue eyes forever."

"Puh-lease." Helga grumbled as she heard Olga giggling. Voices began to emerge from the TV.

"_Need I remind you that it's an act of treason to withhold information from me relative to this matter regardless of how classified it is?_"

"_Same goes for you._"

"_Whatever the foreign ministry's wishes this falls within Section Nine's jurisdiction. Of course we have no objections to cooperating if we feel there's adequate cause._"

"Oh, there you are baby sister!" Olga greeted as she heard Helga's footsteps in the hallway. She jumped back. It was practically an assault, like usual. "How was the night with your little friend?" She gushed.

Helga grumbled and looked at the TV.

"You guys are watching _Ghost in the Shell_?" She asked, trying to ignore Olga's questions as much as possible.

"Well, it's not really my kind of movie, baby sister, but I watch it because it's one of Louis' favorites." Olga smiled with her usual happy-go-lucky face.

"You like _Ghost in the Shell_ huh?" Helga asked Louis. She knew this would be a perfect way to challenge and undermine him.

"I do." Louis smirked.

"Yeah, it's alright I guess, but there's way too many faux attempts at unnecessary philosophy. And what's Masamune Shirow's deal with nude women anyway? If you ask me it's something for perverts or pseudo-intellectuals."

Olga was surprised, and was about to lecture Helga on how she was not age-appropriate for this movie, but Louis sensed this and stopped her with a slight raise of his hand.

"That's quite perceptive for a ten-year-old." Louis said, impressed. Helga only scowled at him. "But, I think you miss the main point, Helga." He continued, not caring about the scowl. Helga was surprised at this. She could tell quite clearly that Louis, unlike Olga, sensed her hostility, and what's more, didn't care. "It's an incredibly realistic view of what society could quite easily become, and the focus on government corruption is something near and dear to my heart, given my own business and some...family situations of mine. You should try giving it another go."

"Who asked _you_ anyway?" Helga growled and went upstairs. Criminy, she didn't succeed. What a pompous fop. Why would she do anything he asked? After all, he didn't even make time for her last night, despite the fact that it was _her_ play.

Louis shrugged with a smirk. Helga went upstairs and closed the door to her room.

"You know Louis." Olga began as they continued to watch the movie. "You were incredibly rude to Helga last night."

"Hm?" Louis noised without looking at her.

"I told you I wanted you to meet my sister, but you brushed me and her off when I tried to introduce you to her. You were just talking about stocks and things like that."

Louis glanced to see a look of concern on Olga's face. He sighed.

"Yeah, you're right." He admitted. "I get carried away with that stuff sometimes. Guess it's no surprise she wouldn't have wanted to go out with us last night. I'll make it up to you guys."

"Tonight will be better, I know it!" Olga said excitedly.

* * *

"Criminy!" Helga growled as she got to her room. "Why did I have to come home just to be shoved into the background _again_! It's bad enough that I have to deal with one perfect person in my life, now I have to deal with two! Why am I even here? Why even eat tonight?"

Helga went into her shrine and took out her pink book. She sighed in longing when she gazed upon the statue of Arnold.

"Oh Arnold." Helga bowed. "What a tormented life I lead. What a painful weight my young, frail body is forced to bear! How much endurance your football head and your rows of tall, golden locks give me! How I long to tell you. How I long to let you know how much you mean to me! How I long to say those magical words- 'I love you!' Oh Arnold, my love for you is stronger than any force on this Earth! And with that, I will get through this and any other hardship!"

Helga finished her writing when nature called. She sighed as she went toward the bathroom. Olga and Louis' voices reached her ears. Great. Just what she wanted to hear after a moment of creative inspiration.

"OK well Louis, I think I better get started on dinner before mommy and daddy get back home."

"Let's go out for a snack first." He responded.

"But Louis..." Olga trailed, clearly hesitant.

"They can wait a half hour longer."

Yeah right. Helga thought. Making Big Bob wait for his dinner could only invite trouble. Her eyes narrowed in delight. _Perfect_. Maybe Olga would get in some heat for once.

"Olga! Mom and dad said they'll be back a bit later anyway!" Helga called down innocently, instigating the situation. "Heh heh heh." She laughed sinisterly to herself.

"Let's just go." Louis beckoned. "Besides, I want to get out of this 'trophy room' with all due haste." He mocked. "Anything past a couple of hours and I wouldn't be able to stand it. This place gives me the creeps."

"Yeah." Olga admitted with a distant sigh. "Me too."

Helga's eyes widened again in surprise as she went into the bathroom. She heard the front door open and close.


	8. A Typical Pataki Dinner

"Well B...it isn't really the end of the world..." Miriam slurred.

"This is just so unlike Olga. I'm worried about her." Big Bob Pataki paced up and down. "Where could she possibly be?"

"Heh heh heh." Helga snickered, reading a book on the recliner and generally not taking up much space. "Gee dad, I recall Louis urging her to go out with him. Maybe she just decided to go do something with him and forget all about us, her poor, loving family." Helga said innocently.

"I don't like it Miriam." Bob frowned after he looked at his youngest daughter.

"Maybe she just...had to do something B, it's nothing to worry too much about..." Miriam again slurred.

Helga loved it. Big Bob's nervousness and Miriam's slurring due to her obvious helplessness to the situation. Served them right. Let them stand around wondering what was going on with their perfect little _Olga_.

"Maybe I should get started on the food..." Miriam trailed.

"Why would I want you to do that Miriam?! You always overcook everything!" Bob growled.

"But I was..." Miriam responded weakly.

"Aw gee, I'm gonna be starving all night!" Bob wailed. "This is horrible!"

Oh this was so worth it. Helga didn't mind if she needed to eat cereal again. She lapped it up for another ten minutes before the front door audibly swung open. The laughing voices of Olga and Louis followed.

"Louis you can be such a jerk sometimes!"

"Those old farts had it coming though, you have to agree with me on that." His voice snickered.

Bob suddenly raised his eyebrow in surprise, but then narrowed it. He looked mad. Miriam as usual, looked like she wasn't there. Bob strode toward the foyer. Helga sprang up in delight and ran to see what would happen.

"Trying to pull a fast one on us like that. Ten dollars for a couple of little trinkets like those? Just what exactly are they trying to sell by those docks? The nerve of these..."

"Oh no, don't you start imitating George Carlin, not with Helga nearby."

"Helga's got more smarts than you're giving her credit for." Louis responded as he began to put their coats away.

Olga was about to reply when the sound of her father's loud footsteps interrupted her.

"Oh hi Daddy!" Olga gushed.

"Olga, where've you been? Your mother and I were starting to worry. You never miss up on an opportunity to cook us a fine meal!"

Louis raised a curious eyebrow at Bob. He slightly turned his head to see Miriam furiously slurping at her smoothie, but he quickly smiled when Olga began to speak.

"Oh daddy! I know this may sound a bit silly of me, but I forgot one of the ingredients that I needed, so Louis and I went out to the store to get it!"

"Eh? That isn't like you, Olga."

"I know daddy, but with all the excitement of the last few days I guess it just slipped my mind! I'll get started right away, and you're all gonna love it! Tonight we're having a full-course Turkish cuisine with scrumptious toppings and fudge tarts for desert!"

"That sounds great Olga!" Bob laughed. "C'mon let's go inside and get you started!"

Helga noticed that Louis looked on guardedly as Olga, Bob, and Miriam walked away. The two stared at each other for a moment before he followed them.

"Criminy!" Helga growled. "Why can't they ever get mad at her!" She crossed her arms and followed inside, her scheme foiled. "Wait a minute." Helga said to herself before following the others. "Where did that story about the grocery store come from?"

* * *

"So uh, Louis, you said you're familiar with Hillwood?" Bob asked.

"Yeah, my aunt lives here, so I've always dropped by every now and then. I know this city well enough, and I've actually begun to expand my business here too, so coming here was basically a hop over the bridge for me."

"What sort of business you in? Are you an appliance salesman like me?" Bob grinned.

"No, nothing like that." Louis lightly smiled. "I own a small PR consulting firm."

"PR? What's PR?" Bob asked in his usual blunt voice.

"Puh-leese." Helga muttered and lowered her eyebrow. To her surprise, she also saw that Louis stared at him an incredulous expression, though it was masked. She was the only one that seemed to notice.

"It's public relations, daddy!" Olga answered happily. "It means that Louis is in the business of helping other businesses! He puts together campaigns to get them good publicity and increase sales!"

"Oh I see." Bob answered.

"You know that sort of reminds me. Olga told me about Big Bob's Beepers, but it appears your emporium doesn't have a website. You really should get on that, or you're gonna miss the boat."

"Hmm..." Bob stroked his chin. "Never really needed one."

"The web's going to explode, maybe even over the next few months, let alone years. I did some data mining on the businesses in your field and the ones with websites are already outselling the ones without them, Mister Pataki."

Olga gushed up at Louis as Bob started to think. Helga muttered and stuffed her food in her mouth quickly. She wanted to get out of here as soon as possible. Yet again, her evil scheme hadn't worked!

"Yeah, I see, I see..." Bob continued to think.

"So Louis, you were telling me that you were from Maine?" Miriam finally spoke. Helga thought she'd taken another one of her impromptu naps.

"That's right, Misses Pataki." He answered. "Our family has a very old home with twenty acres just outside..."

"Hey hey hey hey hey!" Bob cut him off. "Miriam, who said you could butt in?! We were talking about my beeper empire! This is important stuff we're discussing! You can't just _interrupt_ us!"

Miriam grabbed her glass and began to drink, while Olga happily served her father another helping of food. Helga crossed her arms, but again raised her eyebrow when she (and only she, again) noticed Louis looking at Bob with a masked expression that Helga was unaccustomed to.

Was that...disgust?

"So uh, Louis, what were you saying before? That thing about the websites?" Bob asked with a grin. "Oh, and do you want some more of these little bread things? What were they Olga?"

"Manti, daddy!" She gushed.

"Sure." Louis answered as Bob passed him some more.

"I'd like some more too." Helga asked.

"So anyway Louis, let's talk a little bit more about this website stuff!" Bob continued, ignoring Helga.

Helga growled.

"Well, my team and I can get it all set up for you, and I'll give you a discount because you're my dear Olga's father." He grinned, which caused Olga to blush and giggle.

Bob and Louis continued to talk. Helga moved her hand forward briskly to grab more of the food she wanted, trying to draw attention, but it didn't work. Her scheme hadn't worked. Teflon Olga won again. A typical Pataki dinner, she thought. Bob talked about his beepers, Miriam was half-awake, and Olga simply gushed about everything.

"Can I be excused mom?" Helga asked when she finished her plate. She was not quite full.

Miriam slowly looked up at her. "Yeah, sure, whatever." She acquiesced.

Helga got up and went back into the foyer, toward the staircase.

"I'll see you later baby sister!" Olga called. "And maybe I'll tuck you in too!"

Helga gritted her teeth and began to walk upstairs. Bob continued to talk excitedly with Louis who answered him more calmly. The former's voice did not drown out until Helga closed the door to her room.

* * *

**Wow, it feels weird writing about how big the web was going to be. That's the 90's for you.**


	9. The Key?

**Shoutout to SlideshowJazz1 for the constant stream of reviews.**

* * *

She heard the doorbell ring. Helga growled and put her cereal down. Who was coming over this early? She paused the tape and moved slowly toward the foyer.

"Yeah! Yeah! I'm coming!" Helga called out.

She opened the door to stare into Louis' green eyes.

"Hey Helga." He greeted, letting himself in.

"What are _you_ doing here so early?" She questioned with folded arms.

"Taking your sister out for breakfast." He answered. "You feel like coming along?"

"No, not really." Helga said with a mockery that would have escaped the Patakis, but not Louis. For a moment, the two stared at each other in an almost tug-of-war fashion.

"Helga are you alright?" Louis finally asked. "Is something bothering you?"

Helga simply continued to stare at him with a frown before a certain bubbly voice interrupted and totally changed the atmosphere.

"Hi Louis!" Olga gushed as she came down the stairs.

Helga only tightened her arms over her chest as she heard the overly-loud smooch that Olga gave to him. How come she was even annoying in the _sounds_ she made when she kissed someone?!

"And good morning to you baby sister!" Olga greeted when she was done. "Did you sleep well last night?!"

"Oh, I slept wonderfully well!" Helga answered in a light tone whose sarcasm was unmistakable, unless your name was Olga Pataki.

"Oh great!" Olga answered. "That certainly seems true since you're up so early and you're on vacation and..."

"Olga, get your coat." Louis cut her off with a firm expression.

She looked up at him questioningly but quickly smiled. "You must really be hungry!"

"Yeah." He simply answered, and then smirked as he watched her move toward the nearby closet.

Helga took the opportunity to leave after exchanging one last glance with Louis. He noticed that Helga was watching Wrestle-Mania on TV, presumably taped from last night's broadcast.

The sound of loud footsteps coming from the stairs got his attention.

"Hey Loumeister!" Robert "Big Bob" Pataki greeted, to Louis' comically raised eyebrow which he did not notice. Miriam followed her husband downstairs, still dressed in her nightclothes, looking like she was not yet awake. "Everything good for tomorrow?"

"I called my photographer and my lighting artist. They're flying out today, and I've already got all the video equipment handled. Everything's set for tomorrow afternoon."

"Great. Great." He answered. "Time to bring Big Bob's Beepers to the world wide web with some amazing content!" He said enthusiastically. Miriam walked past him to the kitchen, looking like she could care less. "We can go out to eat after that!"

"Sounds fine enough." Louis answered.

"Helga, do you want to come out with us for breakfast?!" Olga asked enthusiastically as she put her coat on.

Helga only grumbled.

"What's that baby sister?!" Olga's tone did not change.

"Yeah, you should go out with your sister, Olga." Bob seconded. "Maybe you could learn a few things." He laughed and went straight to the kitchen. Helga visibly scowled at him.

"Olga, let's just go." Louis beckoned firmly.

She again gazed up at him questioningly, but agreed as he led her outside and closed the door. Helga sighed in relief and went to finish the rest of her program. She would need to get ready for her second appointment with Dr. Bliss for the week.

* * *

"So things aren't going well?" Dr. Bliss asked.

"Nope." Helga replied.

"But your play did get a standing ovation. Is your home situation bothering you? I'm guessing your talk with your sister didn't work?"

"Of course not!" Helga growled and punched the large bowling pin-like-object in the room. "I tried telling her to not soak up my spotlight and she says she agrees, but then does it anyway! And it was much the same at dinner last night! I might as well not even exist!"

"Can you tell me exactly what you said to Olga?"

"I asked her if she could tone it down a bit because everyone focuses on her when she's around. And guess what? They did. She didn't even try!"

"And...her boyfriend, is he same way...? Is he adding to the problem?"

"Louis? I don't know..." Helga trailed.

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"Well, Louis _does_ seem perfect, just like Olga. He's very good-looking, very intelligent, and he's only twenty-five and already owns a seemingly successful business. But it's just..."

"It's just...?"

"Louis doesn't look like he has his head in the clouds. Just this morning when I was trying to watch TV, Olga was trying to goad me into going out to eat with them, being her usual self. Louis on the other hand could clearly tell that I was annoyed and stopped her...in an indirect way."

Dr. Bliss widened her eyes and began to write something down.

"And he stopped Olga before dinner yesterday too. I think she was gonna try to lecture me about how I was too young to watch _Ghost in the Shell_ which is one of his favorite movies, but he didn't let her."

"Well Helga, this is big." Dr. Bliss said with a smile on her face. "I want you to do two things. Firstly you need to talk to Olga in a more direct fashion and tell her your real feelings. I think she does care about you, Helga, so she will listen." Dr. Bliss continued after the audible 'hmph' from Helga. "Secondly, I think you should talk with Louis. He might be the key to smoothing out the differences between you and your sister."

"But wait, what makes you think he'll have any interest in doing that, if it can even be done? Last night he looked more interested in talking with _Big Bob_ about a business deal than caring about other problems, pretty much exactly like _Olga_. And when Olga tried to introduce me to him after the play, he brushed me off because he needed to talk about stocks."

"Well Helga, I don't know. I haven't met him. I just think it's your best shot. And you need it. If Olga's going to be home, then you need to resolve these issues, given how much they bother you and are harming your self-esteem. You don't want to carry that burden around with you."

"Oh..." Helga moped.

"Helga, trust me, you can do it. I suggest you get them both together and then tell Olga what's on your mind. Maybe he can mediate between the two of you. Olga does care about you Helga, and if she's been with Louis for a year she cares about him too. You just need to show her how you really feel, and maybe he can help her realize her mistakes, given your description of him."

Helga walked out of her therapist's office and back toward home when the session ended, unsure of how to handle this, but with knowledge of what needed to be done.

"Oh Arnold..." Helga trailed as she looked down at his face in her locket. "How will I get through this one?"


	10. Face it Olga, You're Bad Sister

Helga slowly walked home and approached her building with caution. Only reluctantly did she open the door. Olga was playing the piano. Much to Helga's surprise, she heard that Olga was missing notes...and laughing about it.

"C'mon you're doing a good job!" Louis' voice laughed.

"You can at least take the blindfold off." Olga responded. "I don't know this song too well."

"You haven't earned it yet." Louis teased.

"When will I...?" Olga asked wistfully.

"When you..."

"Hey!" Olga playfully objected, and the next thing Helga heard was the sound of two people kissing and sucking on each other. She growled and smacked her palm to her face. As Olga continued to brokenly play the piano amidst her and Louis' shared laughter, Helga's brain began to spin. She hadn't heard either Bob or Miriam. The words of Dr. Bliss began to repeat in her head as she hesitated in the foyer.

Should she or shouldn't she? This was not something she was particularly looking forward to. She didn't even know what she wanted to say, if she even decided to say anything at all. Was it worth it? They seemed happy...maybe that mood would transfer over? But then again...

"Well Olga, I've gotta run."

"Louis, are you sure you can't stay for dinner?"

"Nah, I need to make some arrangements for tomorrow."

"Oh...OK." Olga answered.

Helga scowled again as Louis emerged into the foyer, followed by Olga.

"Bonsoir baby sister!" Olga greeted. "Did you have a fun time outside?"

Helga only crossed her arms and peered up at her quizzically.

"I'll see you guys later." Louis said after he put on his coat. He gave Olga a light kiss goodbye and smiled down at Helga, who narrowed her eyes in response.

Helga walked upstairs without saying anything more.

* * *

Helga kept quiet throughout dinner and most of the rest of the night. She took to her room quite early and went to sleep. The next morning, after a brief breakfast in which Olga constantly tried to make conversation with her which she avoided as much as possible (lest she be stuck with her while Louis and Bob were gone), Helga returned to her room and took out her pink book. Her thoughts were whizzing. Dr. Bliss had really upset her equilibrium. While her head knew that she should follow her therapist's advice, Helga's emotions told her to do nothing. Her shrine to Arnold was the go-to response when in doubt.

"Oh Arnold,

Why must I keep all my feelings bottled inside?

Why must the love I have for you hide?

I want to open the dam, to confess!

But my darling, the world wants to keep my feelings repressed!

Help me Arnold, hold me in your arms!

How I wish I had such strength, through which my body may convulse,

You and I together would give _Olga_ a firm repulse!"

"Wow, that's good!" Helga said excitedly and was about to write some more when an intrusive series of knocks rattled her door.

"Baby sister are you in there?!" An overly-excited voice asked.

"Yes, _Olga_." Helga answered, annoyed.

Olga took this as an invitation to step inside. Helga growled and threw her book under the bed. She scowled.

"Oh Helga, there you are! You've been so quiet since you came home last night. Is everything OK?"

"Everything's fine, _Olga_."

"Oh goodie, because I've got a special surprise for you!"

Helga crossed her arms and looked up at Olga indifferently.

"Well, I thought that we'd spend the day together, just the two of us! Isn't it fantastic?!"

"Huh?" Helga asked incredulously.

"Oh isn't it so exciting?!" Olga squeaked excitedly and ran over to hug Helga.

"Oh..." Helga groaned, but Olga did not hear her.

"I thought that we'd first take a little ride around the park and then we'd go and get something to eat, and for tonight..." Olga trailed off with a smile while Helga looked up at her in distress. "I got us two tickets to the opera, and they're good seats too!"

Helga's jaw dropped.

"Oh isn't it just wonderful?" Olga sighed dreamily. "Now that I'm home we can finally bond with each other at last! Isn't it exciting?! I've been wanting to spend some time with you and today is just perfect!"

Helga was at a loss as to how to respond. As she began to ponder the situation more, Dr. Bliss' words came into her mind.

"_You need to talk to Olga in a more direct fashion and tell her your real feelings._"

Looks like it was now finally time to take Dr. Bliss' advice. Olga had forced it on her. She did not want to do anything with Olga, especially not see an opera. Olga was stressing her out a lot. It was time to face the music.

"No Olga, it's not." Helga responded.

"It's not?" Olga asked in surprise.

"Olga, might you for once consider my feelings? I **hate** the opera!" Helga yelled. That came out more angrily than she thought it was going to.

"But..." Olga trailed weakly.

Helga raised a finger to cut her off.

"It's the same thing with you every time you're here Olga! You suck up all the attention, and then you try to bond with me. You think everything's 'fantastic' but you _never_ listen! You're just in your own little world! You're _never_ concerned, really concerned, for me or what I think! Even the other day, when I tried to tell you my concerns about the school play, you ignored them! Do you know that when you came, and Louis entered in grand style, everyone's thoughts were riveted on you, when I put in all the work on that thing?"

"But Helga..." Olga tried to object. Tears were welling up in her eyes.

Helga again raised a finger. She was being honest. Just like Dr. Bliss told her to be.

"And even more than all of that, Olga, you're way too smart to not notice that there's a lot of problems in this house..."

Olga's lips began to quiver and she began to shrink back.

"And they effect me a lot, and apparently you too, but you never acknowledge or want to address them. You just keep pretending everything's perfect. **It's not!**" Helga screamed. "But you just prance around the house all day, and just _pretend_ to think that nothing's wrong. You only add to my stress. Face it Olga, you're bad sister."

The dam broke and Olga began to cry and wail, in a distress that even Helga had never seen her in. She collapsed to the floor for a while, bawling her eyes out while Helga frowned and put her fists on her waist. Olga slowly and painfully got to her feet. It seemed like she had a ton weighing her down. She peered at Helga's expressionless face through a veil of tears and bolted out of the room and ran into her own, slamming her door shut behind her.

Helga indifferently watched her go. She would not emerge from her room for the rest of the day.


	11. Wrong Tactics

"Olga honey, are you sure you don't want to come down for breakfast?" Miriam asked.

"I've already eaten, mommy, hours ago." Olga's soft voice emerged from her room, behind the closed door. "I'm sorry I'm not cooking anything this morning. Something came up."

"Olga are you alright dear?"

"Yes mommy." Olga answered blankly. "I've just been looking for a job and I'm pretty tired."

"Oh...OK dear." Miriam answered somewhat absent-mindedly and left the premises.

Helga looked on from her room and smiled gleefully. How long would Olga stay bed-ridden this time? Oh, Helga relished this. Hopefully now she would learn and just go away, but she wouldn't hold her breath.

"C'mon Olga, you gotta come out of there sometime!" Bob goaded. "Why don't you tell me what's bothering you?"

"It's nothing daddy." Olga answered weakly.

Bog sighed. Helga laughed in the background.

"Something funny little lady?"

"Nope." Helga smiled.

"Olga, what's there to be upset about? It's not like that time you thought you got a B+. You're sitting pretty, and that boyfriend of yours is amazing! A true wizard that guy is! Almost kicked as much butt at the beeper emporium yesterday as I did! So I want you to get out of bed and report for breakfast!"

"I just want some alone time, daddy."

"Alright Olga...I've gotta go anyway, but when I get back, I want to see a new attitude!"

Bob left the still smirking Helga and went downstairs, leaving a few minutes later.

* * *

"Hey Loumeister!" Bob greeted as he got out of his car. "What brings you back? Everything got set up yesterday, and I already paid you!" He talked excitedly.

"I just wanted to go over a few more things with you and get you more familiarized with your website and how to sell your merchandise online and the like."

"Aw, gee. Thanks for that."

Louis smirked as Bob unlocked the doors.

"Hey uh...did Olga say anything to you yesterday?" Bob asked.

"No. I didn't talk to her yesterday, why?" He responded curiously.

"Eh...she's just been held up in her room the past day or so. She says everything's fine though. Maybe she's just taking a break from all the craziness. Or maybe it's just that time of the month, huh? Huh?" He joked and elbowed Louis in the stomach.

Louis' face hardened.

"I mean, what could possibly be wrong with her? She's got great grades, awards, she'll get a nice job soon enough, and she's got you. There's nothing for her to remotely be upset about! She's my little girl, always a winner!"

He looked at Bob distantly as they walked into the store.

* * *

Helga was eating a sandwich she made for lunch when she heard the doorbell ring. Helga had a feeling who it was, and she began to move to answer him. Miriam had gone out to the grocery store.

Helga went into the foyer and opened the door.

"Oh, hi there Helga." Louis greeted. "Olga's supposed to be home, so I dropped by."

"She's upstairs." Helga gritted in answering him. As usual, he looked great.

"Thanks." He answered and stepped inside, hanging up his coat. "You know Helga..." He turned back toward her. "You look like something's bothering you. Care to let it out?"

"I..." Helga gasped, taken aback. "I..."

Louis stared at her with slightly widened eyes.

"I...mean it's none of your business! Don't you respect anyone's privacy?!" She seethed.

Louis smiled lightly with a chuckle. "Suit yourself." He shrugged his shoulders and began to walk up the stairs.

Helga folded her arms and grunted. "Yeah, whatever your highness." Helga mocked, not bothering to look up at him.

Louis chuckled again and headed to the second story. It was then that a tinge of curiosity overtook Helga. When around Louis, Olga seemed somewhat different. When Helga saw her sister with him there appeared to be a genuine happiness that she had never seen before emanate from her. She seemed so...so..._normal_. With a sigh, Helga headed silently up the stairs. What if Olga mentioned yesterday's incident to Louis? Would she be different? It was too much to take without knowing. She silently but swiftly crept toward Olga's room.

Louis knocked on the door.

"Olga, it's me." He declared.

Olga immediately opened the door. Helga could see that she was smiling brightly. So that was it then? As soon as Louis showed up everything was better, and Olga would be back to her bubbly self?

Louis smiled and closed the portal behind him. He turned around to see his girlfriend still smiling widely at him, but he immediately put on a serious face when he got a good look at her. The covered-up smattering of runny mascara did not escape his eyes, and he noticed that her smile was not entirely genuine. "Olga, you've been crying." He said with concern.

"I don't know what you mean Louis." She acted, coming over to give him a hug and kiss. He saw right through it.

"Spit it out." Louis demanded as he lightly pushed Olga away.

Olga gasped as she tried to control herself. There was no use fighting him and she knew it.

Helga was laughing to herself as she listened outside the room. Making Olga feel bad sure made her feel good. It was what it was.

"Am I such a monster that my own sister hates my guts?" She squeaked.

"Helga, hate you? No." Louis said in a tone of light disbelief.

"Do you remember how I told you that my relationship with my sister was one of my biggest regrets, and that I wanted to get closer to her?"

Louis slowly nodded.

"Well I tried to talk to her yesterday. I tried to be friendly. I spoke with as much love as I could muster."

Helga gagged. That was what she called 'love?'

"I got us two tickets to the opera and told her how much fun we would have together. But she only pushed me away and said that...that...I was a bad sister."

Louis smirked lightly as Olga continued her diatribe. He looked amused, like he was trying to stifle a laugh.

"It seems that no matter what I do, no matter how kind I am to her, she still hates me. Maybe I just need to accept that she's always going to hate me..." The waterworks began to turn on again and she looked out the window. "She's so rude and obnoxious sometimes..."

Helga was enraged and almost felt like bursting through the door. She was very close to doing so when she heard Louis speak in a strong and stern voice.

"Wrong tactics."

"Huh?" Olga turned toward her boyfriend incredulously, mascara running down her eyes.

"A grown adult trying to dictate to a child is supposed to bring the two closer?" Louis asked somewhat sarcastically.

Olga's face squinched and more tears began to flow. She threw a book down onto the floor. "DAMMIT Louis, are you taking her side against me?!" She asked in a very teary anger.

Helga was very surprised now, shocked even. She had NEVER heard Olga speak in an angry voice or cuss. Even when she had changed her grades last year and admitted it, Olga was not angry at her. That had been almost infuriating just by itself. She continued to listen.

"I'm not taking anyone's side here." Louis chuckled. "But Olga, your sister is still but a child...without your accomplishments, and you know? I think she's unhappy. She lives in the darkness of your shadow, all day, everyday."

"Our parents don't even know she exists!" Olga cried. "She knows it and they know she knows it!"

"And they don't give a damn." Louis responded with a lecturing tone. "Poor Helga."

Helga felt like she was hit by a ton of bricks. He said it bluntly. He knew. The protective walls around which she housed her soul crumbled, just like that. Hearing her hidden thoughts straight from the mouth of someone else was very surreal. She felt like brooding in her room, but continued to listen to the conversation.

"POOR HELGA?!" Olga answered angrily. "What about me, wind-up doll that I am?!" She began to wail again. "You know what I have to go through all the time! And then when I try to show Helga a little kindness...she abuses me! Am I not to be pitied?!" She put her face in her hands and began to sob.

"WHY SHOULD YOU BE?!" Louis answered with a calm, cool fire in his voice. "It's certainly no wonderful situation, in fact I abhor it, but at the very least you can get away from it most of the time. Think about your sister. She's virtually a prisoner - sentenced to a life of nonrecognition by those who she's supposed to be closest to! It's quite easy to see within five minutes of being in this house. Furthermore, she doesn't have the luxury of escape like you do. In fact, she probably resents you all the more because you can break free and she cannot."

Helga was crying now. She situated herself in a fetal position outside her sister's door, leaning against the wall. She refused to let herself totally break down. Not yet.

Olga was diffused by this and stared at Louis wide-eyed. Tears were still flowing. He smiled softly at her.

"You know Olga, your biggest weakness is that you don't see yourself the way that others see you. I don't fault you for it - most people lack the ability. But try to see yourself the way Helga must see you. Here you are, showered with adoration while she gets nothing, and now YOU want to be HER friend. But to be her friend, you should instead let her come to you. Do what she wants to do. You need to be there for her. She doesn't need to be there for you."

"But what if she just continues hating me forever?" Olga squeaked out.

"Don't worry about it too much. Kids grow up, they change. Just go about it the right way and you'll be fine."

Tears were still streaming down Olga's face. Her lips were trembling as she looked at him.

"Come. Come here. Come here." Louis beckoned with a kind voice.

Olga moved into his outstretched arms and embraced him. He kissed the top of her head and rubbed her back.

"It's alright." He reassured. "You made a mistake. We all do. Make it up to Helga. You're smart enough to do that. At least...I think you are." He teased.

"Louis, you really are wonderful." Olga laughed weakly.

"I know." Louis grinned, causing her to laugh harder.

Helga tip-toed away and went into her room, slowly shutting the door behind her. It was she that now began to sob.


	12. Vulnerability, Part 1

Helga spent a large portion of that afternoon wandering around the park, trying to collect her thoughts. Her mind had certainly been jolted. She thought about what Dr. Bliss had told her, and she thought about Arnold. Helga now knew beyond any doubt that Louis understood her problems, and that Olga would listen to him. And hey, if Arnold gave him his stamp of approval, then that said something didn't it? Still, what did she even want to say? What did she even want to begin with?

These thoughts began to run away with Helga as she walked, and she did not even notice that she'd made it back home. Sighing, she slowly opened the door and stepped into the foyer. A few steps later and there she saw him sitting on the couch. The two shared a tense stare.

"Hey." Louis finally greeted somewhat somberly.

"...Hey." Helga greeted back monotonically. "So...where's Olga?"

"Still in her room. She has some thinking to do." He answered. "By the way I...heard your footsteps outside her room. You were listening to our conversation."

Helga appeared shocked. "Does she know I was out there?" She asked frantically.

"No." Louis answered.

"You're not gonna tell her are you?!"

"Not if you don't want me to."

Helga breathed a sigh of relief.

"Hey, why don't we go take a walk and talk?" Louis asked.

"Why?" Helga asked defensively.

"Because Olga's important to me and I don't want to see her like this. I think maybe I can help, and help you too."

Helga began to grumble with her arms folded.

"C'mon, I'll buy you something to eat."

Helga sighed, but reluctantly decided to go along.

* * *

"OK...how did you know?" Helga asked the obvious. They wandered back to where Helga began - the park, after getting a couple of slices of pizza to go.

"Based on some of the things Olga's told me, and my own observations. You'd need to be an idiot or otherwise impaired to miss it. I'm sorry, Helga, that you need to live with that every day."

A whirlwind of emotions raced through Helga. She only looked up at him somberly, without much to say. Finally, thinking to say _something_, she opened her mouth and these words came out: "How come you can see it, and _Olga_ can't?"

"I won't and can't answer for her. I'll leave that between the two of you. Although I will say that Olga can be a bit myopic at times."

"Hmph. Try all the time." Helga growled and finished off her slice of pizza as the two approached the bridge over the park's lake. "You know Louis, I didn't want to say this, but Phoebe was right."

Louis looked at her quizzically.

"You really _do_ seem like a well-adjusted individual. So that only makes me wonder. Why? Why are you with Olga? How can you not notice what I do? She's overbearing and annoying as the day is long!"

Louis chuckled slightly.

"I mean why would somebody like you have any interest in such a bubbly airhead?!"

Louis continued to chuckle. "Helga, this may or may not come as a shock to you, but I've been out with a lot of girls."

Helga frowned.

"Your sister is the only one I've ever truly liked."

"But why?!"

"Well, that thing you said about me being a well-adjusted individual? It wasn't always so. You probably think that I'm naturally this way, that I was always like this. That's nothing like the truth at all. Up until the time I was eighteen? I was a wimpy little nerd that totally lacked self-confidence."

Helga's eyes widened at this.

"If you care to see my meaning, take a look at this. I keep this picture so that I can compare myself to the person I once was and recognize how far I've come."

Louis took out a small picture from his wallet. To Helga's shock, he looked like a sloppy, scrawny, awkward nerd. She had to blink twice, looking up from the picture to Louis, and repeating the process several times. He looked like a totally different person!

"That was you?!" Helga asked, still finding it hard to believe.

"Yep."

"But that's...that's incredible!"

"It is. It was when I entered college that my older brother really took me under his wing. It was my brother that turned me into the man I am today - physically and mentally. You think I'm impressive? Well, my brother's a hundred times the man I'll ever be."

The matter-of-factness and confidence in his tone was all Helga needed to know to realize that this brother of his must really be something to see. But how...?

"How does this concern Olga, you're thinking?" Louis smirked.

Helga nodded.

"Well you see Helga, my brother Henry's a Navy SEAL."

Helga's face lit up at this.

"Which indeed, SOUNDS cool." He glanced down at her. "And it is. Don't get me wrong. I'm extremely proud of my brother. It only makes perfect sense that he's one of our country's very best men. But, there's a dark side to this too..."

Louis looked down into the waters of the lake, his expression saddened, which again Helga was surprised at.

"You see, I have to worry about him all the time. And trust me it isn't easy." He turned to Helga. "My brother is extremely important to me. The bond we have is something that even Olga can't approach. My brother is my idol and hero. He taught me how to be a man. Our father died when we were very young you see, and my brother was the guidance I needed. He took my potential and brought it out of me. The fact that he figured it all out perfectly on his own just shows how great he really is..."

Helga looked on at him surprisingly sympathetically.

"If anything were to happen to him the loss would be more than I can bear. The fact that he's in special forces and I need to be kept in the dark about most of his missions doesn't make the situation any better. It's a lot of weight to carry, Helga."

"So...where does Olga come into all of this...?" Helga squeaked. She didn't quite know how to handle this.

"Well, one night I received news that my brother's SEAL Team was going to be deployed to a high-risk area. I didn't really know where it was, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was Bosnia or some other place. Anyway, naturally, this is the type of news where I get the most anxious. I generally just retreat and am beside myself with apprehension. But that night was different you see..."

Helga was quite anxious to hear him finish his story.

"Olga came over. And do you know what she said to me?"

Helga shook her head, her eyes wide as saucers.

"She told me that she was really glad I was in her life, and then with the sweetest, most genuinely kind-hearted voice and smile you could possibly imagine, she told me that whatever happened from that point forward, she'd be right there with me."

Helga raised her eyebrow at this. Louis smiled down at her.

"And that's something I'll never forget for as long as I live." He said with a serious expression, looking back at the lake. "Don't sell your sister short, Helga. Yes, there are at times when she does...lack social intelligence, but we all have our faults, and it's one I've forgiven her for. Your sister's a beautiful girl, but I've been with a lot of beautiful girls. She's smart and talented, but I've been with a lot of smart and talented girls too. What really drew me to Olga was the kindness and the warmth in her heart that's entirely genuine. The affection she shows is something to be treasured. You won't find that in very many places, Helga. It brightens my whole day just by being around it. Sure, maybe your sister made some mistakes and maybe she couldn't quite utilize her intentions properly, but all the same, you should give her another chance, and be open on your own end too."

Helga looked downward at the ground.

"Oh and well, Olga can cook up some mean food. It's hard to not be enamored by that." Louis grinned.

Helga sheepishly smiled.

"The point is Helga, that we all have our own problems, but with the proper mindset and support, and the willingness to put in the work, we can overcome most of them. I overcame my own unhappiness and so will you - if you want to. Olga is very concerned about you, Helga. She's told me many times that she loves you dearly. Want to hear something else?"

Helga only nodded.

"That night I told you about, where Olga came to comfort me after my brother's SEAL Team was deployed in that danger zone? She was later crying because she was so happy. But she also mentioned that she felt guilty, because she 'left you there with _them_.'"

Helga's eyes looked like they would bulge out of her skull.

"I...I never expected that from Olga..."

Louis smiled.

"There's a lot you wouldn't expect from her, and a lot she doesn't expect from you. What I've noticed about the two of you is that both of you don't seem to give each other enough credit. Olga routinely underestimates your intelligence and isn't responsive to your needs. You on the other hand seem quite defensive, to the point where you just don't let her in despite her good intentions. Maybe there's a good reason for that, but I think the two of you should have a nice, long talk, just like we're doing now."

"That might be hard." Helga answered.

"It might, but think what you can gain if you work everything out. You'll have a sister who loves you."

Helga looked downward.

"My relationship with my brother is the most important thing in my life. He brought out my potential and turned me around. Of course I can't guarantee that Olga will do for you what Henry did for me, but I think you guys do need each other. Only the two of you share the same experience of growing up in that house, and that matters a lot."

"...Why are you doing this?" Helga asked skeptically, but weakly.

"Because I want to help Olga." Louis replied. "And well...I think she's right. You deserve better."

Helga looked meekly down at the lake, again.

"That didn't stop you from stealing the spotlight of my play the night you came with your grand entrance!" Helga huffed.

"In case Olga didn't tell you, entering like that was not my intention. I just needed to go to the bathroom, so I came in a bit later." Louis smirked.

Helga widened her eyes and then slowly smirked back.

"Olga didn't mean to either. When she came in, people just swarmed her. That tends to happen. She actually complained to me about it at Chez Paris afterward."

The two shared a light laugh.

"Helga, for what it's worth, I thought your play was great. It was both very creative and historically accurate. I would never expect that sort of thing to come from a ten-year-old. You're very talented."

Helga gazed up at him, then looked down at the water again.

"Oh, by the way. I saw that you like Wrestle-Mania. You were watching it on TV the other day."

"You like Wrestle-Mania?" Helga asked with an involuntarily hopeful look.

"Yeah, sometimes." Louis grinned. "It isn't as good as it was when I was a kid, but it's a nice diversion every now and then."

"You watched all those guys when you were a kid huh? Yeah, I wish I could've seen some of that stuff." Helga answered enthusiastically. "Guys like the Cavalier and the Olympian Freak."

"The guys now have nothing on them. I assure you." Louis grinned.

"Yeah, Slam Jam VI is coming up real soon. I wanted to go last year but...other circumstances got in the way." Helga finished, not admitting the events with her father leading up to his well-intentioned mishap.

"Hmmm..." Louis thought, before observing his surroundings. The sky was getting pink as the sun made its daily retreat. "C'mon, it's getting late, you better get back home."

The two began to walk out of the park. A few blocks away from the Pataki household, Helga bumped into someone and fell to the ground.

"Oh, sorry Helga!" A voice she loved beyond anything sounded out, like music to her ears.

"Arnold?!" Helga responded dreamily as he helped her up. "I mean...watch where you're going _football head_! Are you blind or something?!"

Arnold sighed. "It was an accident Helga." He then noticed a chuckling Louis. "Oh, hi!" He greeted, surprised to see him with Helga.

"Nice to see you again." Louis responded.

"Well, I better get going...I'll see you later Helga."

Arnold walked off, and Helga swooned for a millisecond before frowning once more. Louis was still chuckling.

"What do you find so funny?!" Helga gritted.

"Nothing." Louis dismissed with a smirk. "Well, this is as far as I go." He declared after the two walked a few more blocks and came upon the porch of the Pataki household.

"You're not coming in?" Helga asked, surprised.

"Nah, I have an early meeting with another client tomorrow morning and I don't want Olga trying to tie me down." He grinned.

Helga looked up at him apprehensively.

"You'll be fine." He assured. Just talk to her like you talked to me. "You feel better now, don't you? You'll feel even better after that, trust me."

Louis looked at Helga one more time and then began to walk away. He did not look back. Helga sighed and took a deep breath as she walked up the steps of her porch and opened the front door.


	13. Vulnerability, Part 2

Helga continued to breathe deeply as she stepped inside her home and closed the door. It seemed a battlefield now, perhaps even more than usual. Her feet were carrying her forward, almost involuntarily, up the stairs. Her thoughts were protesting every step of the way. Each movement was a struggle. But still, her feet trudged onward. To her surprise, Olga's door opened. For what seemed an eternity, the two sisters stared at each other. The same set of blue eyes with the same somber expression bored into the opposite from each sister.

"Hey." Helga finally greeted blankly.

"Hello Helga." Olga answered back in the same tone.

Helga began to clutch her dress in nervousness.

"I had a long talk with Louis..." Olga sighed.

"Me too..."

"I know." Olga answered.

"Hm?" Helga looked up at her in surprise.

"I saw the two of you out my window..." She trailed.

"Oh..."

Silence came over the two sisters once more and they awkwardly stared at each other again.

"He said that the two of us should talk..." Helga finally trailed weakly. "Can we...go in my room...?"

Olga only nodded and followed Helga inside her room, closing the door behind her. Helga was about to speak when Olga interrupted her, saying something which caused her great surprise.

"Helga, I owe you an apology." Olga stated.

Helga looked up at her incredulously.

"Louis was right, as he usually is." Olga sighed. "Helga, I'm sorry. I guess in all my excitement and my desire to bond with you I left out the most important thing - actually listening to your concerns, and being there to help you."

Helga kept her arms folded, still not sure what to say.

"I guess you were right. I was being a bad sister, even if I didn't see myself that way. Don't hate me too much for it Helga, I just wanted to show you the love and attention that deep down inside, I always knew _they_ didn't show you. I just went about it all wrong I guess." Olga sighed as she looked toward the floor.

This caused Helga to stammer as she attempted to find words.

"Don't think it isn't a lot of pressure on me too, baby sister." She sighed and looked toward her. "I really do get sick of having to perform all the time. You must think I enjoy all of it. Of course I like to be praised Helga, but too much of it can really start to become a burden - all the expectations, all the pressure. I may come across as perfect, but it doesn't mean I am."

"Then why do you soak it up?" Helga asked instinctively. "Why do you hog all the attention and revel in it?"

"Well baby sister, a lot of it is just involuntary. I don't ask for it. It just comes, and I don't want to be rude. I don't know if Louis told you this or not, but on the night of your play I really did mean to listen to you. It's just...Miss Slovak and everyone else..."

"Yeah, he told me." Helga sighed.

"The bigger reason though, Helga, is that if I do well, I can keep things at least somewhat peaceful and orderly in this house."

"What do you mean?" Helga looked up at Olga wide-eyed.

"Well..." Olga sighed. "Before you were around, when I was really little, mommy and daddy used to fight all the time. I mean _really_ fight. They fought like you wouldn't believe, Helga. If you think they're dysfunctional now, you simply haven't seen how things were when I was a little girl."

Tears began to well up in Olga's eyes, but she wiped them off. Helga listened intently.

"I swear daddy would yell so loud that you could hear him all the way down the street, and mommy would be crying constantly. It was a lot for a little girl to have to live with."

Helga now stared up at her sister sympathetically.

"Anyway Helga, this lasted for a while, but then when I started to get As on all my spelling tests, something amazing happened: they would stop fighting, at least for a while. They were proud of me. When daddy entered me into all these spelling bees and I won those, it helped even more. So I figured, if I could just keep on doing that, if I could keep on winning everything then maybe things would get better. And in truth, they did. If I was their perfect little girl, there would be at least a semblance of peace."

"And was me being doomed to non-existence part of that _peace_?!" Helga asked somewhat angrily.

"I'm sorry Helga." Olga apologized again. "I know that I might have contributed to that situation. But all those years of habit are hard to shake off, and I was worried about you too. It might have been even worse for you if I _didn't_ continue on as always. Judging by the fact that daddy and mommy aren't fighting with the intensity that they used to, it's worked. That still won't make me not feel bad though. I'm sorry. I'm sorry about the way they treat you." Olga wiped some tears away.

"But...Olga...if you really _do_ see it, why don't you _do_ anything about it? If you see all these problems like you say, why do you always act like nothing's wrong?"

"Well baby sister, force of habit might be one reason, or sheer optimism another. Deep down I always knew it was foolish, but I hoped that if I could just keep on going, if I could keep on seeing the bright side of life, and pretend like nothing's wrong, maybe the problems would go away..."

"But...they haven't..."

"I know Helga." Olga sighed again, trying not to cry. "I know they're affecting you, and that I was too indifferent to you in _action_ if not in _thought_. Louis made that abundantly clear to me and I see it now."

"If you always knew all of this then why? Why do you refuse to address any of the problems in this house? That's what I need!"

"I know it's what you need, Helga. But the truth is, I'm scared. I'm frightened beyond belief."

This surprised Helga. "You're...scared...?"

"Yes Helga. I don't think you've ever seen daddy when he's really, _really_ angry. He's terrifying. I used to hide in the closet and cover my ears, hoping I would disappear and never have to face him. I just...I don't ever want to see that again, let alone...let alone..._face it_. Maybe it's irresponsible of me, maybe just continuing on as usual and pretending like the problems didn't exist was ultimately bad for you and cowardly on my part, but it at least allowed _me_ to have some peace of mind. And I'm glad you didn't need to see any of what I saw. As for mommy...well, I've known for a long time about her own problems, and that she sees herself living through me. I didn't want to let her down any further. Still I've been letting her get away with neglecting you too." Olga now began to burst into tears. "Oh Helga, I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry that I've been allowing this to continue!"

Helga sat there on her bed for a moment, stupefied, watching Olga cry. It was like the words coming out of Olga's mouth finally made her see that these problems existed.

"I...I never thought that you were facing such a hard time yourself..." Helga finally trailed. "I thought that when _you thought_ you got that B+ last year for instance you were crying because you just..."

"I was disappointed, but I just...I think it was my unconscious way of defending myself and keeping everything calm around here..." Olga answered weakly.

"Olga, I'm sorry too." Helga finally admitted. "You see I've been in therapy for a year now, and my therapist Dr. Bliss told me that I needed to tell you how I really felt. Maybe it just came out wrong..."

"No, it came out right." Olga breathed as she wiped tears from her eyes. "My head was so far up in the clouds that I was really believing my own delusions. You and Louis knocked some sense into me. Look Helga, we haven't always been very close, but I want to be there for you. Please..."

Helga cut her sister off and embraced her in a tepid hug. Olga returned it warmly.


	14. Tepid Bonding

"Olga! Glad to see you in the kitchen again!" Robert "Big Bob" Pataki greeted his daughter as he returned home. "Something smells good! What're you making?!"

"Oh daddy!" Olga gushed. "It's going to be Teriyaki tonight! Chicken, steak, and all the yummy noodles and veggies you can eat!"

"Olga, where do you want me to put these..." Helga was cut off when she bumped into her father and fell to the floor, dropping the potatoes she was carrying.

"Hey! You watch where you're walking missy!" Bob chided. "You're gonna ruin dinner if you keep your head in the clouds! Why can't you be more like your sister?!"

Helga growled at her father as he turned back toward Olga. "So Olga, when's it gonna be done?" He asked excitedly.

"It'll be done in no time daddy!" She cheerfully answered.

"Great. Great. I'll be in the trophy room!" Bob said and patted Olga on the back before leaving the room. "It's great to see you back to normal, Olga!"

Helga continued to growl at him as he left, while Olga just looked back at her sister. The two shared a knowing look before Olga got back to work. Helga would have been angry with her before, but now she knew.

Now she knew why Olga continued onward as if nothing was wrong.

* * *

"Olga..." Helga trailed later on that night. Helga was in Olga's room this time. Both were wearing their nightclothes.

"I'm sorry Helga, I wish I could have defended you...but I..."

Helga sighed. "No, that isn't what I was going to say. I at least understand your perspective now..."

An awkward silence developed between the two sisters. Both of them were still getting used to this.

"Helga, I'm going to be honest with you..."

"What is it?"

"I won't be here for long."

Helga would have loved to hear those words just a day ago. But now that she felt like she was truly starting to connect with her sister - and from the heart, not from Olga's air-headed desires, she felt pained by those words, and dreaded to hear the answer to her question: "What do you mean?"

Olga sighed. "Helga, I've been planning on moving in with Louis for a while now. The real reason he's out here is because he's pondering moving since he wants to expand and do business here. The taxes are also lower and things like that..." Olga trailed. "So he's out here checking things out and questioning if he wants to have his primary residence here for a while, or if he'd rather just stay in Maine. Whatever he decides to do...I'm going to follow him."

"So you just came back to..."

"To check on how everything was doing, introduce Louis to the family, and give myself an easy exit from this house." She sighed. "To make it as least awkward as possible."

Helga felt crushed. Just when she started to feel loved and appreciated by her sister, Olga was now leaving. Not that she didn't understand why. Olga had a lot of reasons to want to leave - not only to be with the man she loved, but to get away from _this_ house, and Big Bob. But still, it hurt. What happened to her feeling guilty about 'leaving her there with _them_?'

"Olga, I understand, but don't you think you're just running away from the problem instead of confronting it, again?"

Olga looked up at her sister somberly.

"I mean I'm not saying that you shouldn't leave the house and all but..." She trailed and sighed. "I was just going to ask...does Louis know?"

"Does he know what?"

"Does he know about...all of this? About everything you told me?"

"No." Olga sighed. "He knows I'm under a lot of pressure to perform. In fact, I really started falling deeply in love with him when he stopped me from going crazy studying." She laughed awkwardly, trying to reduce the tension. "But no...he doesn't know the full story. He _definitely_ has his suspicions though."

"Well, why don't you tell him then?" Helga asked. "He's helped you a lot hasn't he?"

"Yes but, I don't want to get him involved in this. That would be selfish and unfair of me, baby sister."

"Olga..." Helga trailed. She knew that this was the wrong answer.

The phone rang. Olga picked it up.

"Oh hi Louis!" She answered excitedly. "We were just talking about you." She laughed nervously. "Yes, things are starting to get better now. Oh? Oh...OK..." Olga answered disappointingly. "Well, I guess I'll see you in a week then." She sighed. "I love you!" She gushed. "OK, bye. MUAH!" She made a kissing sound, which Helga still found annoying.

"What was that about?"

"Louis is going to Maine after his business deal tomorrow to see to a few things." Olga sighed.

"Hmmm..." Helga pondered apprehensively.

"Look sweetie, whatever winds up happening, we should just enjoy what time we have together now..." Olga trailed, trying to comfort her sister.

Another awkward silence developed between the two sisters.

"How did you guys meet anyway?" Helga asked tepidly, trying to lighten the mood.

Olga began to giggle, and this made Helga break out into a nervous smile.

"He approached me one night after one of the concerts my school's orchestra was performing. I was on the piano of course. It was hilarious because there were a lot of guys surrounding me and trying to make conversation, but Louis just came up to me and said that we 'had to do that interview because he didn't have all night.' Then he just whisked me away, and when I asked him what he meant he said he just made the whole thing up. It was a convenient excuse to get me away from all of them and he said as much. I was laughing because I couldn't believe that someone would actually do that."

The two sisters actually shared a laugh, for perhaps the first time in their lives.

Olga sighed dreamily. "I would have never guessed it at the time, but that night radically changed the course of my life. When I'm with Louis I can actually _relax_. For the first time in my life I don't need to worry about being a perfect little windup doll. I can just...have fun and be a normal young woman."

Helga smiled lightly at her sister.

"You know, for the first time in my life, I actually felt loved, I mean really loved. One time after I was preparing for a really hard final...I overheard him talking about me with his brother on the phone. And he was _angry_. I've rarely ever seen him get angry, but this time it was because he was angry about, again, all the pressure I was under. The fact that he was angry on my behalf, and taking precious time to talk about me to his brother, who was on deployment at that moment and had a limited window to talk to Louis...the fact that he used some of that time to talk about me is something I'll always cherish." Olga's eyes began to get watery, but Helga didn't mind this time.

"His bother who's a Navy SEAL right?" Helga asked. "Louis told me a bit about him. That guy must be pretty amazing. Have you...?"

"No." Olga smiled as she wiped her eyes. "I've never met Henry, only exchanged a few fleeting words with him on the phone. But I want to. I want to thank him for everything he's done for Louis."

"And he really did a lot, given that picture Louis showed me." Helga grinned.

The two sisters again shared a laugh.

"Well...I was pretty dorky too." Olga laughed. "It all makes me wonder about the person you're going to turn into."

Helga looked down at the floor, not knowing what to say. Olga interrupted by continuing to speak. Even now, with the situation changing, Olga was the talkative one and she was the brooder.

"Helga, there'll come a time in your life when you'll find a boy who brings out the best in you and will help you be your best self. That's still some years off for you baby sister, but be on the lookout. And when you find him, don't be afraid to open your heart and devote yourself to him."

Helga's eyes sank and she looked at the floor again for a moment. She instantly began to think about Arnold. He certainly did have all of those effects that Olga described. Little did she know that she found that boy now. Still, Helga was not at all ready to tell her sister about Arnold, much less tell the football head himself.

A knock on Olga's door interrupted the moment and a split second later Bob peeked his head through.

"Hey Olga. I was just wonderin', are you planning on making that exotic coffee tomorrow morning?" He asked with an excited grin.

"Sure thing daddy." Olga smiled happily.

"Great! You keep all this up and I'm gonna have to put another notch in my lucky belt!" Bob grinned before he walked away, revealing a tired-looking Miriam. She smiled lightly.

"Oh, my two girls." She slurred. "Anyway Olga, I'm glad you're feeling better." She said before walking away.

Olga was relieved when she heard her parents' door shut, and she and Helga again shared a tepid embrace. Olga was letting out the pressure she felt. Helga could sense this. She _really_ needed to tell Louis everything, Helga thought.

"Oh my, don't you have school tomorrow?" Olga asked in a moment of recognition.

"Uh...yeah, I better get to bed." Helga replied, walking toward the still-open door. "...Olga, I really hope you stay here in the city." Helga squeaked weakly before she left.

"I hope I do too, baby sister."


End file.
